Urban Native Fund

The country known as the United States once was home to only American Indians.  Over the last 500 years, colonization and capitalism has changed the demographics of this land.  Today, 16 states do not contain any reservations, yet many of these states were Federal Government relocation cities that moved members of Federally Recognized Tribes to these states without reservations.  Treaties provide certain benefits to Tribal people so without access to reservations, Urban Indians face tougher economic challenges.  Businesses and corporations that now define our urban environment, built their wealth on broken treaties and the constant relocation of American Indians.  As a way to create opportunities for American Indians in a state without access to Federal funding through Federally recognized Tribal governments, this fund will be a new an innovative way to provide education on the historical impacts of genocide while also creatively rebuilding structures that historically supported genocide. 

American Indians are nearly invisible in the media and contemporary society.  For many Americans, their only contact with an Indian might be a sports mascot or a street sign.  In cities and urban areas this lack of representation becomes more amplified.  Without representation, there are limited ways to create American Indian economic opportunities or support for organizations providing culturally specific services.  Another important and often overlooked factor is that 70% of the total American Indian population lives in urban areas, off their reservation lands.  Urban American Indians face greater challenges because they do not have access to services offered by their Tribes.  This forces Urban American Indians to seek support from culturally serving nonprofits and programs.  In many states, local governments have formed relationships with Tribal Nations via a Tribal Relations position within government that provides a voice for American Indians.  In Illinois, none of this infrastructure exists due to a lack of any Tribal Nation presence in the state.  In order to account for our history of forced removal of American Indians to make way for corporations to build up wealth, this tax fund will began to solve the problem of structural racism. 

The Urban Native Fund is an attempt to redefine our current economic system through a more just and historically accurate lens.  The idea seeks to address the unspoken history of genocide that America was founded on while also creating an equitable model for redefining and recreating these systems.  Chicago, Illinois loves to tax its citizens therefore, using this same mindset, the solution will impose a .02% tax of Chicago based revenue for corporations within the down business district.  The tax would be housed within the city of Chicago, but would be used to fund a Tribal relations position and the remainder of the fund would be used to support American Indian nonprofits in need of building capital. 

This project is intended to benefit the American Indian community through representation and a rethinking of resources.  Through this work, the American Indian community will have access to create better lives for themselves but also to help build up the nonprofit sector that is doing important community building work.  This idea will also benefit the greater community by bringing this idea to the forefront.  The greater community will learn about our difficult history as well as learn how to heal and move forward so all communities can be supported and given access to resources. 

Nothing has been done like this before.  

The technology required to create this solution would be an algorithm within the City and Federal government that would charge corporations a .02% tax.  The fund would be used to create a position that would work directly with Tribal governments, Federal, state and local governments but also American Indian serving nonprofits who have filled the need of Tribal governments in states without Federally recognized Tribal Nations.  

Chicago creates millions and millions of dollars through their tax structures and accounting systems.  

There are 65,000 American Indians living in the greater Chicago area.  This project aims to serve all of them.  As this scales to other states, this could impact the whole American Indian population in the country. 

Within the next year, this fund will have been created and a new position will be funded within the city.  In two years the state of Illinois will have recreated the program and have hired a new position.  In three years, the program is replicated in another state without Federally Recognized Tribal Nation.  In five years three states have replicated this project.  

The general public has no knowledge of history.  They have no understanding of the sovereign government to government relationship that Tribes have and that American Indians have rights that should be provided to them through treaties.  Educating others on why this is important will be a huge barrier.  Our current politicians are another barrier to this idea.  The Chicago mayor refuses to address policies that are in place in the city that are contributing to structural racism so she is need of education. 

The American Indian community has been base building.  We have partnered with minority organizations all across the city to help advocate for proper education and recognition that the city was founded on genocide.  We continue to build support and grow our base of support demanding that communities come to together to rebuild systems that benefit all as opposed to one minority group.  

1 so far, but this is a collaborative effort with all Native serving organizations in the city.  

As an American Indian woman, I see this country through a different lens.  I have worked for Native serving nonprofits for over 15 years and have worked with Tribal Nations all across the country.  I have worked in reservations, in rural communities and cities.  Yet, in all these place and all these positions, American Indians are underrepresented, underserved and discounted.  Our communities are surviving despite ongoing efforts to remove us so we have the knowledge and experience to create a different way to be in relationship with one another while also creating infrastructure that works for all.  

The path to financial stability is to redistribute wealth so more people have access to be successful.  As this project redistributes wealth, we are able to help shift the conversation around race-based structural violence.  

I am applying to solve because this idea needs input and ideas from others.